Electrical arcs occur between the stationary and movable electrical contact members in a switch of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,983 when a high inductance load is part of the electrical circuit in which the switch is electrically connected. The electrical arcs dissipate the contact areas of the positions at which the movable and stationary contact members engage one another. The dielectric material of the dielectric sections of the planar contact segments also melts at the junctions with the metal contact sections due to the occurrence of the electric arcs resulting in disruption of the smooth travel along the dielectric sections and metal contact sections during the relative movement between the stationary and movable contact members. The melted dielectric material also wipes onto some of the metal contact sections during the relative movement between the stationary and movable contact members which not only disrupts the smooth operation along the planar contact segments but also disrupts the timing sequence of operation of the switch. This situation could also cause open contacts. Additionally, the arcing across the movable and stationary contact members increases the resistance.
As a result of these adverse effects caused by the arcing between the electrical contacts when switching a high inductance load, the operating life of the switch of U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,983 is substantially reduced. The switch of the present invention has overcome these drawbacks and includes contact sections of the contact members that are protected from arcing thereby providing a switch having a substantially increased operating life. Moreover, the contact segments comprising metal contact sections and dielectric sections form stationary contact assemblies in the present invention rather than being the movable contact assembly of the switch of U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,983.